I recently took the mandatory on-line training on sexual
harassment and sexual assault prevention at the university where I teach
courses in public management and human resources. Imagine my surprise when I missed a number of
questions. The training approached the
problem in a very active way: what should you do to prevent assault and
harassment? This training emphasized your
obligations to ensure that students and employees are in a safe
environment. When the subject is
approached this way, it is not just another training employees have to
take. You are a member of a community of
people who work together. It made me
remember that I have been a beneficiary of colleagues reaching out. I was pressured by a male employee and began
to feel demeaned and harassed. They
talked to my fellow employee, informed him of his behavior and ensured me that
they supported me. He apologized to
me. We continued to work together
because the problem was stopped.
Most of the nonprofits and local governments I work with and
volunteer with are small and do not have a sophisticated packaged on-line
program, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a supportive environment. Beyond providing your employees with your
policies and state laws, how do you inform employees? Have you experienced harassment and had a
fellow employee reach out to help you?
No comments:
Post a Comment